Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
Eval Health Prof. 2023 Dec;46(4):362-370. doi: 10.1177/01632787231170237. Epub 2023 Apr 12.
The Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (VCBS) is a widely used measure of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines, but evidence of its validity and measurement invariance, especially in youth samples, is still largely missing. The present study examined VCBS scores' factor structure, measurement invariance, convergent and discriminant validity, and incremental predictive validity. A sample of 803 Serbian youths (age range 15-24; 59.2% females) was recruited for the study. A modified single-factor model of the VCBS was supported, and showed evidence of full scalar invariance across gender, age, vaccination status, and personal history of COVID-19. Evidence of the VCBS scores' convergent and discriminant validity was obtained by examining associations with general conspiracy beliefs, vaccination attitudes, vaccination knowledge, intentions to get vaccinated against COVID-19, paranoia worries, fear of injections and blood draws, importance of God, self-rated health, and self-rated family's financial situation. The VCBS scores predicted a unique variance in the intention to get vaccinated against COVID-19, over and above vaccination attitudes and vaccination knowledge. The results suggest that the VCBS is a valid measure of vaccine conspiracy beliefs in youth.
疫苗阴谋信念量表（VCBS）是一种广泛用于衡量疫苗阴谋信念的工具，但它的有效性和测量不变性的证据，特别是在青年样本中，仍然很大程度上缺失。本研究考察了 VCBS 得分的因子结构、测量不变性、收敛和判别有效性以及增量预测有效性。本研究招募了 803 名塞尔维亚青年（年龄范围 15-24 岁；女性占 59.2%）作为研究对象。VCBS 的改良单因素模型得到了支持，并在性别、年龄、疫苗接种状况和个人 COVID-19 病史方面显示出全标度不变性的证据。通过考察与一般阴谋信念、疫苗接种态度、疫苗接种知识、接种 COVID-19 的意愿、偏执担忧、害怕注射和抽血、对上帝的重视、自我评估的健康状况和自我评估的家庭经济状况的关联，获得了 VCBS 分数的收敛和判别有效性的证据。VCBS 分数预测了接种 COVID-19 的意愿的独特差异，超过了疫苗接种态度和疫苗接种知识。研究结果表明，VCBS 是衡量青年疫苗阴谋信念的有效工具。
